matter of speech
by Q0BrA
Summary: A conversation between Severus and Hermione...


Matter of speech  
  
Disclaimer: Just a thing I came up with. Don't blame me for unoriginality or for OOC-ness. I do not own these characters, unfortunately.  
  
*knock knock*  
  
'Come in, miss Granger.'  
  
'How did you know.?'  
  
'Did it ever occur to you that Dumbledore isn't the only one who knows everything that's going on in Hogwarts?'  
  
'But how did you..?'  
  
'My mind works excellent and after years of experience I know how students think.'  
  
'But why did.?'  
  
'Because I actually wanted to talk to you after the incident of today.'  
  
'But who.?'  
  
'The walls have ears, you should've known that by now.'  
  
'But.?'  
  
'May I continue uninterrupted?'  
  
'Sorry, sir.'  
  
'What happened today between you and Draco Malfoy is to be kept between you and me. As is this conversation. Lucius Malfoy will of course be informed, without details. Nobody will know about your involvement. You handled correct, but do not ever do it again. I may sound angry, but you have to know that I'm on your side today. You won't get punished, but I want you to tell me everything he told you. Since he tried to kill you he must have told you all of his plans, as all stupid Death Eaters do right before they kill their first victim. Unfortunately he made the mistake of underestimating you. A fatal mistake. Now, tell me, what do you know about Draco's companions and their plans?'  
  
'So far, only Malfoy was Death Eater, but Crabbe and Goyle are wannabe's and will become Death Eaters within a few weeks. They're already involved in his plans. His first plan was to kill a Mudblood. He chose me because his personal grudge against me. He didn't tell me what he wanted to do next, but he was talking about something big in Hogsmeade in a few weeks.'  
  
'Right, I know what he meant, precautions have already been taken for that particular event. Besides that, do you know anything about other attacks and perhaps other 'wannabe's'?'  
  
'No, I'm sorry. I wasn't exactly paying attention to his words, considering the fact that I was trying to free myself. Though, I think he mentioned you a few times. He saw you as a big example. That he trusted you more than his own father and that Dumbledore was a big old fool to trust a Death Eater and even let you teach at Hogwarts.'  
  
He snorted. 'I feel flattered. Again, a big mistake. Trusting people makes you weak. I only trust three people.'  
  
'three?'  
  
'Yes three. Dumbledore, of course, is my number one. He saved my life by trusting me, when nobody else believed me. The second person is the Dark Lord.  
  
'What?  
  
'Yes, it's true. The dark Lord, of course. Not for his ideas, don't get me wrong. However, I do trust him. He's very reliable. If he says he'll kill you, he will. I do not like him, I despise the creature. Actually I don't like Dumbledore either.'  
  
'Why not, how.?'  
  
'I probably will never like him. His undestructable optimism irritates me. I don't think I could do anything he wouldn't forgive, except perhaps killing him.'  
  
She gasped. He gave her a death stare.  
  
'That doesn't mean I'm planning to do so. As much as I detest it, I need the man to survive. Without him, the Ministry won't hesitate to send me to Azkaban. I respect Dumbledore highly and, maybe even more important, I can tolerate him. And that's rare too.  
  
'Can you tolerate me?'  
  
'No, you are an insufferable know-it-all and that's very annoying. Oh, by the way, that death stare still needs a lot of practice. But you are the third person I trust.'  
  
'But why?'  
  
'Your Gryffindor nature in combination with a good set of brains. You are smart enough to keep things to yourself when the information can hurt others. You proved that in your third year when you discovered the true nature of 'professor' Lupin. And you knew my true identity when the rest of your class was still mocking about my bad moods. You are brave, but cautious, unlike that Potter boy. Your good morals will keep you from crossing any line that may result in being expelled. That's why I, as your professor will be safe until the very moment you leave Hogwarts, which is in one month if I'm correct. Do you want some wine?'  
  
'What? Oh, yes please.'  
  
He summoned a bottle of red wine and two glasses. While he poured he continued.  
  
'Because of those qualities I know that the things I tell you are safe. As are the things you tell me.'  
  
'What about other members of the staff. McGonagall perhaps? Don't you trust her?'  
  
'No, I don't trust her, or any other member of the staff for matter, because she doesn't trust me. She despised me from the moment Dumbldore hired me. She still thinks I'm not loyal to the Order. I can't trust a person who doesn't trust me.'  
  
'And V.. euh You-Know-Who?'  
  
'If he didn't trust me, I would've been dead by now.'  
  
'Are there people you actually like?'  
  
'No,.'  
  
She sighed in disappointment.  
  
'But there is someone I like, though I would hesitate to call him human. Not in the physical way like the Dark Lord, but mentally. Lucius Malfoy.'  
  
'But he's a.'  
  
'Death Eater? Yes of course, just as I am. And that's exactly the reason I don't trust him and pretend I don't like him. A smile makes one weak.'  
  
She was careful not to smile at this comment.  
  
'The truth is, Lucius possesses a very dry humor. It works terribly on my nerves. Pretending to be irritated usually works best to hide it. The only problem is. That it stimulates him to continue, because of lack of result. I don't know what he is: more dangerous or funny.'  
  
She stifled a snort; the word 'funny' sounded absurd, coming from his mouth. It simply wasn't designed to be carried by his silky voice. He took a sip of his wine and glared at her. She was looking back, expecting him to continue. He sighed deep. The wine was working on him like veritaserum. He took another sip, put his glass down and leaned back in his chair, while studying the ceiling intensely, just to avoid her look.  
  
I like Lucius, because after all those years he still treats me the same. I don't know whether that's because he sees right through me, and knows everything about me or because he's just stupid. Anyways, he a brilliant actor. Either he plays smart half of the time, or he plays stupid. After all those years and I still haven't figured it out. That's why I can't trust him. A wise enemy is still safer than a fool friend.'  
  
'But why do you trust You-Know-Who, but you don't trust Malfoy?'  
  
'Good question, isn't it. The thing is, the Dark Lord has, just as you, a good set brains. Lucius is, to put it mildly, insane. The Dark Lord just has the wrong set of ideas.'  
  
She looked into his eyes. She finished her wine and summoned all her courage.  
  
'What about me?'  
  
In the awkward moment that followed, he decided to be absolutely honest with her as she would expect him to. He wasn't sure he could handle truth, but he was sure she couldn't. He looked back into her wide brown eyes and saw that she was serious. This wasn't about her, this was about him. She wanted to learn about him. He answered her question as soft as he could.  
  
'I don't like you.'  
  
A simple answer. She didn't respond. She didn't even move, as if she knew he wasn't finished yet.  
  
'No, Hermione, I don't like you, but I am in love with you.'  
  
Still no response, no movement. As if the room was hit by a freezing charm. He didn't dare to move either. Say something woman! She stood up, gracefully, just as she had learned from the Master. Probably the best way to leave, he thought. To his surprise she smiled. It wasn't an awkward smile, but a beautiful one. One he hadn't received in a long time. With that smile he knew she showed him her weakness, just as he showed his, when he said this. Careful not to break the fragile balance that had been created be her smile, he rose from his chair. His eyes were focused on her lips. The lips he most desperately wanted to kiss. She approached him slowly until he could smell her. Her mouth opened a bit.  
  
'I'm in love with you too, Severus.'  
  
His name sounded perfect, coming out of her mouth. He didn't even realise the consequences of that one sentence. Cautiously he touched her cheek. When she leaned in on his hand he pulled her close with the other hand and captured her lips. Their tongues started a new conversation, one without words, in language of passion.  
  
THE END 


End file.
